


Trust Issues

by HawkyBarton



Series: OTP and Fanfic Brigade (Prompts galore) [110]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Could be seen as Phlint, Gen, TW: Blood, TW: torture mention, some fluff at the end, tw: spanking mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-08-07 06:31:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7704088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HawkyBarton/pseuds/HawkyBarton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Everybody needs some discipline sometimes.</p>
<p>But as the Act of 1987 states: Everyone has the right to veto punishment, whether it be giving or receiving. </p>
<p>This barely happened at SHIELD due to how well the psychs were able to diagnosis the best form of discipline... But it did happen.</p>
<p>Like Agent Barton, for instance.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trust Issues

**Author's Note:**

> Anon asked (and I hope I did her prompt at least some justice): All new SHIELD agents are given a psych workup that is used to determine what best means of discipline would be for each recruit. Enough agents respond best to spanking that specific training techniques and other associated skills (scolding, how to read when someone's really had enough vs. just needs to struggle, appropriate aftercare, tailoring all of the above a specific agents and situations) is a standard part of the training all handlers and senior agents get. Agents must discuss with, agree and consent to all forms of discipline with their handlers/superiors everyone involved gets a veto. The psych eval, and pretty much anyone who's ever worked with him, agree that Agent Barton will respond best to spanking. And he's vetoed spanking and refuses to discuss it.

Everybody needs some discipline sometimes.

Depending on the person, the discipline could range from a firm scolding - to a hard spanking.

In SHIELD, every agent entering the agency (and below a level 6) had a psych eval form that showed their handlers (and anyone else that needed to see it) the agent’s most responsive forms of discipline. However, the agents upon going into the workpool had to be matched with handlers who didn’t veto their specific forms. 

SHIELD definitely didn’t want to put a handler whose hard limits were spanking, with an agent who seemed to only be responsive to said punishment. That just became a poor choice, and lowered the quality of work. 

However, a handler who had hard limits wasn’t an usual occurrence, but they had to have the protocol in place as a precautionary measure. As the Act of 1987 states: Everyone has the right to veto punishment, whether it be giving or receiving. 

This barely happened at SHIELD due to how well the psychs were able to diagnosis the best form of discipline... But it did happen.

Like Agent Barton, for instance.

Agent Barton constantly vetoed the punishment of spanking. He said he would allow any other punishments, just _not_ spanking.

The problem with this was that Barton would only respond well _to_ spanking, any other form of punishment would be a waste of time with the agent. 

Definitely a dilemma.

 

~

“Barton for fuck’s sake, just accept the spanking!” Fury roared.

Clint gave the older man a blank stare, not rising to the bait.

Fury sighed and looked at Agent Phil Coulson. “The little shit’s all yours. You’re the only handler I know that can discipline anyone with just a look”

Phil just gave Fury a bored look, before rolling his eyes. “Come on Specialist Barton. We have other tests to do to get you fully immersed into SHIELD”

 

*******

Clint clutched Phil’s stomach with bloody hands, trying his hardest to stop the blood pooling out.

“Come on Phil, hang on for me” Clint begged.

Phil looked up at Clint with a bloody smile and shook his head. “Not sure I can”

“You have too! You’re the only one I trust” Clint cried out, uncaring of how selfish he sounded at the moment.

Phil chuckled. “Already... figured... that out...Clint”

Clint shook his head in denial. “You’re the only one who never forced me into anything. You never punish me when I’m bad, or put me down. I don’t think I can survive without you”

Phil hummed and leaned his head against Clint’s chest. “You’re... stronger... than you think... you’ll be... fine.”

“No I won’t.... Phil? Phil!” Clint yelled as the older man closed his eyes, his breath slowing down.

“Phil! Phil no...”

 

*******

Clint laid his head back on the hard hospital seat, staring up at the ceiling as he waited for Phil to wake up.

It had been three days since SHIELD had evacced them from Turkey, where Phil had taken a bullet for Clint and almost died. 

It had been three of the longest days that Clint had ever experienced.

“Why the long face?” A voice rasped out.

Gasping, Clint raised his head and looked down at the figure on the bed. “Phil! You’re awake”

Phil raised an eyebrow, “Obviously... But how long was I out?”

“Three”

Phil groaned and plopped his head back down on the pillow. “That means I have so much paperwork to do...”

Clint laughed, “If I didn’t know better - I would think that paperwork was what psych gave you as a punishment”

Phil shot Clint a dirty look. “Put a sock in it Barton, I took a bullet for you”

Clint’s smile softened as he grasped Phil’s hand in his own. “You did... Nobody’s ever done something like that for me.... Though I guess nobody has really done anything for me before you came along”

Phil sighed and looked up at Clint. “I wish your life had been different”

Clint shrugged, “If it it had been - I wouldn’t be here, now would I?”

“I guess not”

Clint grinned and leaned back in his seat again. 

Phil hummed and looked at the ceiling. “Clint?”

“Yes boss?”

“Why do you veto spanking?”

Clint sighed, “Spanking means I let someone else take control of my body for a little while. That somebody else gets to control my body and put marks on it just reminds me too much of torture... I just.... It’s a trust thing, okay?”

Phil nodded, “I can see that...”

Clint and Phil both went silent for a moment.

“...Phil?”

“Yes?”

“I trust you”

Phil grinned. “I know”

**Author's Note:**

> (( You can prompt me if you wish for other fics, or for any ideas you may have about this fic at [ Hellogoodbye](http://hellogoodbye741.tumblr.com/ask) ))


End file.
